Device for treatment of commodities packed in containers



Oct. 6, 1964 J. B. VAN DER WINDEN 1,

DEVICE FOR TREATMENT OF COMMODITIES PACKED IN CONTAINERS Filed March 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 6, 1964 J. B. VAN DER NDEN 3,151,540

DEVICE FOR TREATMENT o OMMODITIES PACKED IN CONTAINERS Filed March 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3 151 540 DEVICE FOR TREA'I'ME NT 0F COEMODITIIES PACKED IN CONTAINERS Johannes Bernardns van der Winden, Amstelveen, Nether The invention relates to devices for treatment or" commodities packed in containers and especially for the sterilization or pasteurization of bottles filled with milk or other liquids, the said devices being of the type pro vided with a treatment chamber and tube shaped carriers moving mong a track through the said chamber, the containers being positioned in the said carriers, while at a location on the said track there is a device for feeding containers to and a device for removing containers fi'om the carriers.

Such a device is known from US. Patent No. 2,719,- 478. in this case, the said treatment chamber consists among other things of a so-called overpressure steam chamber, which on either side is defined by a liquid seal, while in this chamber a temperature of 100 C. and upward can be maintained. In the event a temperature of less than 100 C. sufiices for the intended treatment, it will be possible to constitute an underpressure steam chamber in the central part of the treatment chamber, the underpressure being adapted to the temperature aimed at. For the conception underlying the present invention the temperature and pressure in the steam chamber are not relevant.

In this known construction, the device for removing the containers from the carriers consists of an ejection mechanism in which a push rod with a buffer head presses against the side and, in the event of bottles, against the crown cork or capsule of the container. When various containers (bottles) one behind the other are in the same carrier, the front face of each next container will be pushed away by the adjacent front face of the preceding container. In this way the whole row of containers are pressed out of the carrier.

It has appeared that especially in the event of bottles, this construction for carrying oil has various unfavorable aspects. In the first place, the crown cork or capsule may be damaged. In the event of breakage, glass splinters may cause jamming of the bottles and thereby hinder a free removal. Another important disadvantage is that, where the carriers with the containers are moved during removal, the ejection device must be moved in and out very fast or must have a lateral speed which is equal to that of the carriers. In order to solve these problems, a rather complicated construction is required which involves much upkeep.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a simple solution for the removal of the contain rs from carriers by providing at least one nozzle for liquid which is situated in the proximity of one front face of the passing carriers. By means or" this feature, the containers can be pushed out of the carriers by means of a liquid stream. Experimentally it has appeared that a big quantity of liquid (preferably water), which is ejected under a slight 3,l5l,5d-@ ?atented Get. 5, 1964 "ice overpressure into the carrier, removes all containers and fragments of broken containers (bottles), if any, in a reliable way. This removal is facilitated in the way that the weight of the containers decreases when the carrier is entirely or partially filled with liquid. In other words the containers e subjected to the buoyant force of the liquid stream in the carriers.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device in which there is sufficient time available to remove the containers from the carriers without decreasing the conveying speed of the containers.

A still further object of the invention is to improve the eiiiciency of the installation by providing means for re circulation of the liquid.

The invention will be clarified with the aid of the accompanying drawing in which two embodiments accord ing to the invention are represented and in which:

FEGURE l is a diagrammatically represented side elevation of a part of the sterilization device, which is pro vided with a device for the removal of containers;

FIG. 1a is a View taken in the direction of arrow I in EEG. la.

FIGURE 2 shows on a slightly enlarged scale another embodnient for the removal of containers;

FIGURES 3 and 4 show a View of the left side (as seen in FIG. 2) of the device for the removal of the con tainers contemplated in the direction of the arrows III and IV, respectively, in which FIGURE 4 shows a plurality of carriers; and

FZGURES 5 and 6 represent a view of the right side (as seen in FIG. 2) of the device contemplated, in the direction of the arrows V and VI, FIGURE 5 for the sake of clarity only representing a fragment of the view in relation to the carrier shown.

The device to which the invention relates may be of the type as described in US. Patent No. 2,719,478, viz. a device rovided with a treatment chamber, consisting of some towers, which on the lower side are mutually connected, and a number of tube shaped carriers moving along a predetermined track through these towers. In this installation the central part is constituted by an overpressure chamber, in which due to a supply of steam there is maintained a certain overpressure and in this Way a definite temperature (over 160 C). The U-shaped liquid seals on either side of this steam chamber serve as a pressure maintaining device, the long leg of the U providing the required hydrostatic counter pressure. When, however, a lower temperature (under C.) is to be maintained, this in View of the treatment aimed at (pasteurization) of the liquid (milk) in the containers, there can be maintained a certain underpressure by means of exhaustion of steam. The liquid seals in that case serve also as a pressure maintaining device, but only the difference of height in both legs of the U is then contrary to the situation depicted in the said patent.

A part of this device is shown in FIGURE 1 in which a tube shaped cmrier l is represented in which are two containers 2, in the shape of bottles. The wall of the device is indicated by 3 and FIGURE 1 shows a section at the location where the containers 2 are removed from the carrier Fr. To that end there is provided an aperture 4 in the wall 3.

The device for the removal of the containers 2 is conof the one front faces of the passing carrier 1. Provided in the proximity of the other front face is a receiving surface 6, constructed as an endless belt 7, which is guided on two turning wheels 3. The endless belt 7 preferably consists of a number of narrow belts or ropes 7:: as revealed in FIG. 1a. The belts 7a are spaced one beside the other so as to leave between them open spaces. One of the turning wheels 8 of the pair is driven by a mechanism in such a way that the belt 7 advances in the direction indicated by arrows.

At the end of the receiving surface 6 is a movable stop 9, which can be placed in the path of the containers 2, lying on the belt '7. The spacing of the stop 9 to the carrier 1 is at least equal to the length of this carrier 1. The stop can be moved to the position indicated in dotted lines by means Well known in the art in which it is no longer in the'path of the containers 2.

Adjacent the receiving surface 6 as contemplated in the direction of movement, a device 10 is mounted for tilting the containers 2 through about 90, that is to say for mtfving them from the prostrate position to'the upright position. Such devices are well known in the art and need no further discussion. These containers in their upright position may be conveyed further, eg to a device for filling crates.

The nozzle is connected by means of a duct 11 with a liquid pump 12, which sucks liquid from a tank 13, disposed on the lower side of the device. The liquid ejected from the nozzle 5 and flowing downwardly through the receiving surface 6 is led to the tank 13 by way of an in- -with apertures 4. Liquid issucked from the tank 13 by means of the pump 12 and fed to the nozzle 5 by way of the duct 11. This liquid issues at a relatively minor pressure but in large quantities from the nozzle 5 and penetrates the carrier 1, which is in front of the aperture 4,

to thereby exert a pushing force on the containers 2 situated therein. These containers are then moved in the direction of the receiving surface 6 and taken along by the belt 7 until they abut against the stop 9. The liquid issuing from the nozzle 5 flows for a smaller part away .via the usually available perforations in the carrier 1,

whereas the larger part flows through the receiving surface 6 to arrive at the tank 13 by way of the slanting plate 14 in order to start a new cycle. The liquid issuing from the carrier 1 flows unhampered through the receiving surface 6 as this is constituted by a number of spaced narrow belts or ropes. In this connection it is observed that the belt 7 may, if need be, also consist of one single piece' which is slitted or .in which circular perforations are provided.

As soonas the emptied carrier 1 for the greater part has moved beyond the apertures 4, the stop. 9, by means of a device not shown, is moved to the position indicated;

in FIG; 1 in dotted lines-during sucha lapse of time that the foremost container 2 can pass over the left turning wheel S te the device 10. The element 9 then stops the next container 2 until the element 19 has moved the leftmost container 2, to the position indicated in dotted lines.

In this way a container is periodically passed through'for removal from the installation. 7

When carriers are used which are composed of a num-' ber of tubes it is possible to efiect simultaneously the removal for various tubes, belonging to as many carriers.

CPI

integral with a plate 25, extending before the open end of the tubes 22 in order to close same. On its lower side the plate 25 is provided with a hinged portion 26, which in the upturned position, indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2, clears the way for removal of the containers, which are in the lowermost tube 22 of the carrier 21. The plate 25 is secured to a chain 27 which together with the chain 28 on the other side forms the conveyor proper, moving the carriers 21 through the installation. FIGURE 4 shows a small part of the track of the conveyor.

On the other side the carrier 21 is provided with a star wheel 29, the points of the star being always situated between two juxtaposed tubes 22. This star wheel 29 which is rotatably supported by the chain 28, situated beside it, cooperates with a rack element 30 consisting of a plate 31 through which extend a number of short tubes 32. The plate 31 is provided with at least eight of these short tubes 32, which are spaced in such a way that each star wheel 29 can cooperate therewith in the manner of a toothed wheel, when the carriers 21 pass. When two points of the star wheel 29 are on either side of a particular short tube 32, a tube 22 is coaxially aligned with this short tube. The carrier 21 performs as it were a rolling movement, the tubes 22 substantially traversing trajec- .tories of cycloidal shape. The velocity of each tube 22 at the lowermost point is practically nil, so that there is plenty of time available for emptying each tube. The liquid required therefor is supplied by way of eight nozzles 5, which are situated one beside the other at the end of ducts 8 in a way analoguous to that shown in FIGURE 1.

The open ends of the tubes 22 are provided with two strips 33, which do not hinder the supply of liquid but prevent the containers 2 from protruding outwardly.

The operation of the device for removal is substantially identical to that of the device according to FIGURE 1.

During rolling of the star wheel 29, all tubes 22 of the carrier 21 arrive successively before a short tube 32 and are emptied in this way. The dimensions of the carriers 21 are such that most times at least two successive car'- riers cooperate with the rack element 30, which involves a simultaneous removal of containers from various tubes 22.

- What we claim is:

1. A device for the treatment of commodities packed in containers comprising a treatment chamber, tube shaped carriers movable through the said chamber along a predetermined path, said carriers being adapted to accommodate said containers therein, means for circulating a fluid stream along a path extending through the tube shaped carriers to remove containers from said carriers in said stream, said means including a plurality of nozzles located adjacent the path of the carriers for ejecting fluid into the carriers, the device further comprising means adjacent the path of the carriers for receivingcontainers from said carriers in the fluid stream, an endless conveyor belt coupled to and moving said carriers through A'm'odified embodiment'realized for that purpose is indi-. .c ated' in the FIGURES 2-6. Each carrier 21 consists of One side of. the carrier 21 is pivotally I axially aligned with the center of said circle and disposed at one end of the tubes for engaging said nozzles to roll therealong to cause each of said tubes to be successively aligned with a respective nozzle whereby the containers in each tube can be discharged therefrom.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for receiving containers comprises a container receiving surface constituted by a plurality of spaced narrow belts and two turningwheels over which saidnarrow belts are displaced, the fluid stream passing'through the spaces beneath the carrier path for collecting the fluid stream after the same has passed through the carriers, the means for circulating the fluid stream comprising a pump connected between the nozzle and the tank for supplying fluid to the nozzle from the tank. 7

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said starshaped plate means comprises a star-shaped plate including points disposed between two juxtaposed tubes, said nozzles having a spacing along the conveyor to permit the star-shaped plate to roll along the nozzles with said points being interposed between the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Winkley Aug. 3, 1920 Townsend Apr. 30, 1935 Bergen Oct. 27, 1936 Salvo Aug. 23, 1955 Van der Winden Oct. 4, 1955 Morrow Apr. 3, 1956 Molvaney et a1. Feb. 7, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 17, 1932 

1. A DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF COMMODITIES PACKED IN CONTAINERS COMPRISING A TREATMENT CHAMBER, TUBE SHAPED CARRIERS MOVABLE THROUGH THE SAID CHAMBER ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, SAID CARRIERS BEING ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE SAID CONTAINERS THEREIN, MEANS FOR CIRCULATING A FLUID STREAM ALONG A PATH EXTENDING THROUGH THE TUBE SHAPED CARRIES TO REMOVE CONTAINERS FROM SAID CARRIERS IN SAID STREAM, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF NOZZLES LOCATED ADJACENT THE PATH OF THE CARRIERS FOR EJECTING FLUID INTO THE CARRIERS, THE DEVICE FURTHER COMPRISING MEANS ADJACENT THE PATH OF THE CARRIERS FOR RECEIVING CONTAINERS FROM SAID CARRIERS IN THE FLUID STREAMS, AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELT COUPLED TO AND MOVING SAID CARRIERS THROUGH SAID TREATMENT CHAMBER, EACH CARRIER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF TUBES POSITIONED ALONG THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A CIRCLE, SAID NOZZLES BEING EQUAL IN NUMBER TO THE PLURALITY OF TUBES IN EACH CARRIER, AND STAR-SHAPED PLATE MEANS CO AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE CENTER OF SAID CIRCLE AND DISPOSED AT ONE END OF THE TUBES FOR ENGAGING SAID NOZZLES TO ROLL THEREALONG TO CAUSE EACH OF SAID TUBES TO BE SUCCESSIVELY ALIGNED WITH A RESPECTIVE NOZZLE WHEREBY THE CONTAINERS IN EACH TUBE CAN BE DISCHARGED THEREFROM. 